Adjustable area restricting members for suction nozzles



May l2, 1959 l ANDERSON 2,885,715 ADJUSTABLE AREA RESTRICTING MEMBERS'FOR SUCTION NOZZLES Filed June 50, 1955 HIS ATTORNEY May 12, 1959 E. ANDERSON 2,885,715

ADJUSTABLE AREA RESTRICTING MEMBERS FOR sucTIoN N'ozzLEs Filed June so, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 'I Ln( INVENTOR. m if n demon BY HIS' A TT ORNE Y United States GLI-atent O ADIUSTABLE AREA .REsrRIcrlNG MEMBERS FoR sUcrIoN NozzLns .nderson,0ssining, N Y., assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Old Greenwich, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application June 30, 1955, Serial No.S19,-187

6 Claims. (Cl. 15-354) My .invention relates to vacuum cleaner nozzles `and ,more particularly to a nozzle intended for cleaning soft ffloorcoverings.

Certain of the more recent rug constructions, particularly those involving loops made of relatively large ydiameter cords, are Idiicult to clean by means of an ordinary -suction lnozzle because these loops extend into the nozzle opening and engage the edges of the lips, thus offering rhighresistance to .movement ofthe nozzle. To overcome `this it has been proposed to yprovide means within the nozzle .opening having a gliding surface for supporting justed with respect to the nozzle lips.

Fur-ther objects and advantages of my invention will vbe apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings,

tain parts in different positions from that shown in Fig. 4;

'and

Eig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the Aline 6-6 'of Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to Figs. l and 2, rreference character 10 designates generally a suction nozzle including 'a hollow body member 12 formed with an'elongated l,suction opening 14. An elbow 16 is rotatably secured to the rear of the body 12 and communicates with the interior -thereof and consequently with suction opening 14. The :usual suction conduit may be connected to the outer vend 18 of elbow 16.

A stamping 20 is secured within body 12 and has alip portion 22 which constitutes the forward lip of the nozzle, the central -part of which may be formed with 'serrations 23. The rear lip may comprise a rod 24. Both stamping 20 and rod 24 are secured in place by being clamped underneath lstampings 26 which are secured `to opposite Lends of the nozzle by means of bolts 28. Thesefstampings 26 are formed with gliding surfaces 30. Stampings 26 also serve to retain a bumper ring 32 of rubber or other suitable material.

- l:Referring lto Fig. 2, it will be seen vthat on either side of the center of the nozzle two rods 36 and 38 extend transversely of the nozzle opening 14. Each rod 38 extends through a slot 40 in a gliding member 42 which is .the nozzle on the rug and at the same time Apreventing the n Y entrance of the -cords or tufts of the rug into the nozzle opening. However, .I have determined that different rug constructions require different spacings of these gliding surfaces from the plane of the lips of the nozzle, and itis a -principal object yof the .present -invention to provide an .arrangement whereby these gliding surfaces may be ad- ,gliding members are readily .removable .as wellas .being adjustable therein. .clearlyimFigs. 4 .and 5, stampings 26 are provided with formed with .a gliding surface 44 disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the opening 14 as-deiined 'by .the lips 22 and .24. .Eachmember 42 is formed with an 'inclined surface which is substantially parallel to elongated `slot 40.and.in which is .formed a pair of grooves 46and 48, within one vor the other of which is received the pin 36. .A .spring 50 is secured to each member 42 vby means .ofa bolt 52.and overlies the grooves 46 and 48. As is shown more vclearly rin Fig. .1, members 42 are formed with relieved portions 54 on yeither side thereof so as to provide fair channels between the .members 42 and the lips .22.and 24. .Also,'an .air channel is .provided between the .members 42 andthe nozzle body, .as is shown at 56.in Fig. -2, so Athat -air may How from ,the ends ofthe elongated opening 414 rto theelbow .16.

.As will be seen in Fig. 2t-he member 42 located .tothe .leftfof the center of the .nozzle has its Igliding surface 44 substantially ilush with the plane of .the nozzle lips. In this position, the rod 38 is in the outer end of the .inclined nslot 42, while the rod 36 occupies the lgroove '48. The .member 42 at the other end of the nozzle, on *the otherhand, is shown in a position in which its 4glidingsurface.44 .projects outwardly beyond the plane of .the nozzle lips. In .this ,position the rod 38 .occupies the inner end of .the slot 40, .while `the.rod.36-occupies the groove 46.

.member and ,pressed downwardly to the left, in the .di-

rection indicated generally by the arrow 58. 'This .force causes the member 42 to :pivot .in a clockwise -direction about the .rod .'38, the .rod 36 movingoutfof the `rgroovezi .against the .resistance .of .spring 50. The horizontal com- .ponentof theforce represented 4by-the arrowf58movesihe .member 42 .to `the .left :until rod.38occupiestheinnerend .of slot 40 and the .rod :36 occupies .groove 46. .In .order to move Athe member 42 from the .position shown .at .the .right of the drawing .to that illustrated at the rleft, .aa'fmiger may be .placed underneath y.the .outer end of themeniber .to apply .a vforce .upwardly .and .towards the .left as .findi- .cated by -the .arrow 6.0. This causes .the member 42fto pivot counterclockwise about the rod 38 so as to bring .the .rod .3.6 .out .of `the ,groove 4.6. AAt `the rsame .timethe ,leftfhand component .of ythe force slides the v.memberf42 .to theleft Acausing -the Yrod.38 to occupy the outer end .of the slot 40 .and-.the rod 36 vto occupy .the groove 48. .During vthis movement the spring 50 is 4iiexed sucientlyto permit the member 42 to pass by the rod 36. Normally, the spring retains the member in position with therod 36 .in one or the other rof the grooves.

While for purposes .of illustration, the .respective members 42 have been shown in different positions, ordinarily .bothof `these vmembers will bein the same position, sthat is both either will have their gliding surfaces 44 ilush with .the .plane lof the ,nozzle lips, or rboth will have their .gliding .surfaces .projecting'out-wardlm .and the operator is able .to

.select .the position which tis best suited for thetype .of -rug being cleaned.

`In the .embodiment illustrated in fFigs. 3 through .6 .the from .the nozzle, As is shown more .inwardly extending projections y62 .under which .may be .engaged-.the outerends .of a pair of spring arms 64. 'IIhe inner yends `of these farms are secured together by means of a pair of arcuate members 66, .which bridge vtheinner end of rotatable elbow ..16. The removable insert consisting of the arms V@tand-.connecting pieces :66 are shown y.in Fig. 5 -in anintermediate position `.during removal for Vinsertion into the nozzle. Assuming that the piece is bemg inserted, the application of force for example to the arcuate members will cause the spring arms 64 to be so deected'that the piece will snap into the position shown in Fig. 4, where the resiliency of the arms holds it in place against the inner walls 68 of the stamping 20. As will be s een these walls are inclined with respect to the plane of the suction opening and consequently, when inserted, the spring arms 64 are likewise so inclined.

' Slidably mounted on each spring arm 64 is a gliding member 70. These gliding members have the hollow construction shown in Fig. 6 and the spring arms 64 extend therethrough. When the insert is in place, the inner walls 72 of the members 70 are disposed between the spring arms 64 and the inclined walls 68 and movement of each member 70 is resisted by friction. will be seen that if the members 70 are slid along the spring arms 64 they will be caused to project more or less through the nozzle opening. In the full line positions shown in Fig. 4, where the members 70 are both moved towards the center of the nozzle, their gliding surfaces 74 are retracted slightly inwardly beyond the plane of the nozzle opening, while in the dotted line positions in which the members 70 have been slid to the ends of the nozzle, their outer surfaces project somewhat beyond the plane. Each member 70 may be retained in either of these positions by means of a pair of recesses 80 formed in each spring arm 64 which cooperates with a projection 82 formed on the rear wa-ll 72 of each member 70. The members 70 may be shifted between these two positions by applying force thereto by means of the linger in the proper direction to cause them to slide along the spring arms 64.

It will be noted that the hollow'construction of members 70 Apermits the passage of air therethrough so that air may pass from the ends of the nozzle opening to the centrally located elbow 16.

' It will be further noted that when the gliding members of each of the disclosed embodiments are adjusted outwardly of the plane of the nozzles, the volumetric displacement of the gliding member structure within the suction opening of the nozzle will be reduced and thus lthe velocity characteristics of the iniiowing air to the outlet will be changed. Thus, by longitudinally adjusting the gliding members the configuration of the suction opening may be controlled, this Vbeing especially de-, 'sirable when encountering different surfaces to be cleaned including rugs or carpets having different pile lengths.

While I have shown and described two more or less specific embodiments of my invention it will be understood that this has been ldone for the purpose of illustration only and that the scope of my invention is not to be limited Ethereby, but is to be determined from the -appended claims. What I claim is:

l. In a vacuum cleaner nozzle, a hollow elongatedl" body including co-planar lips bounding' an elongated opening, an outlet conduit communicating with the central part of said hollow body, the inner wall of said body opposite said opening having oppositely inclinedl portions so as to be closer to the plane of said` opening adjacent to the ends of said body than adjacent to the center thereof, a pair of gliding elements disposed in said opening one on each side of said conduit for contacting a surface being cleaned, and means for slidably supporting said elements with respect to said inc-lined portions so that displacement of said elements along said inclined portions changes the distance between said elements and the plane of said opening, said elements being hollow so as to provide passages for ow of air from the ends of said suction opening through said ele- -ments to said outlet conduit.

opening, an outlet conduit communicating with the censol tral part of said hollow body, the inner wall of said body opposite said opening having oppositely inclined portions so as to be closerfto the plane of said opening adjacent to the ends of said body than adjacent to the center thereof, elongated structure resiliently engageable within said body through said opening, said structure being resiliently pressed against said inclined portions, a pair of hollow Wedge-shaped gliding elements disposed in said opening one on each side of said conduit and having an outer face for contacting a surface being cleaned, said structure extending through said elem'ents and urging an inner face of each element against one of said inclined portions, said elementsbeing displac'eable along said structure and said inclined portions so as to change the distance between said outer faces and the plane of said opening.

3. A suction nozzle for cleaning a surface compriswidth, means for connecting a source of suction to vsaid hollow body near the longitudinal center of said opening, a surface contacting member in each end of said body, said members being spaced from eachother and .each member extending from adjacent one endI of said opening to adjacent said means and having alower surface disposed near the plane of said opening, said members being spaced inwardly substantially equal'distances from said walls, said surface contacting members being'formed with longitudinal portions inclined respectively relative to the plane of said opening and in converging relation with each other, means providing portions fixed withregard to said body and cooperating withthe inclined portions of said members, said 'niembers being displaceable toward and away from each other longitudinally within said elongated opening and longitudinally relative to said xed portion to adjust the surfaces'parallel to the plane of said opening'and for. controlling the configuration of the suction opening, and means retaining said members in the positions to which they are longitudinally displaceable.

` 4. The structure of claim 3 in which said longitudinal portions on said members. comprise slotsl extending transversely through said members, and means providing portions fixed with respect to said body comprising "pins extending through said slots and transversely of 'of said members farthest from said central portionand extending toward the central portion, and said means providing portions fixed with respect to said bodycomprise inclined surfaces on said body diverging longitudinally from the end thereof farthest from said central portion and extending toward the central portion, said surfaces ou said members being complementary to the inclined edge portion of the members which they engage. Y

6. The structure of claim 3 including resilient means interposed between said members and said body aiding to retain said elements in a position of adjustment relative to said suction opening.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,413,545 Throop Apr. 1s, -1922 l"1,617,103 lCuster Feb. 8, 1927 2,205,877 Dunbar June 25, 1940 2,324,111 Ross July 13, 1943 2,613,388 Walker Oct. 14,1-1952 Allen Nov. 8,--` 1955 

